1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to systems of protecting and managing cables in facilities using electronic equipment. More specifically, the present invention is directed to systems of protecting and managing bundles of cables in facilities using electronic equipment where the cables would be otherwise exposed to outdoor elements, e.g., in solar paneling applications.
2. Background Art
Facilities using large number of cables, e.g., electric or data, have a need to protect, and organize the cables. As the insulation materials for cables and cables are usually thin plastic, they can be attacked by certain chemicals and are exposed to potential physical damage. When cables must be located outdoors, such as on a roof, there are other hazards such as ultraviolet (UV) degradation from sunlight, animal and insect damage, wind scouring, lightning strikes, falling debris, stepping-on by service people working on rooftops. These cables need to be protected inside a conduit. It is an advantage if the same conduit that protects the cables can also help organize them for easier servicing. And finally, it is a further advantage if the conduit makes it easy to access the cables within for repairs.
One of the earliest cable tray systems is U.S. Pat. No. 2,023,433 to McConnell (hereinafter McConnell). While McConnell affords some protection of the cables, it is extremely inconvenient to access the cables on the bottom layers of the trough. All the top cable layers and the separating sheets must be removed to access the bottom layer of cables. The separating sheets could be lost or damaged, as could the lid itself. There is also no mention of how to accomplish a 90-degree bend if the trough is to go around a corner. There is the further problem that the enclosure is not waterproof as it relies on a screw penetrating the trough to secure it to a base.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,887,831 to Post (herein after Post) also attempts to address the need for organization with a complicated apparatus with defined spaces for each cable or wire. Unfortunately, a user of Post must hope that a particular wire will fit the defined slot and further hope that the number of slots is enough for the number of cables available. In order to secure each cable or wire, a multitude of different models of cable tray with the right slot size and number that would work are required. As such, Post discloses a cumbersome and expensive way to accomplish the goal. Furthermore, the design of the structure does not offer great support against crushing loads such as fallen ladders, footsteps etc. Finally, there is a plethora of screws required to assemble the apparatus. This is not the ideal assembly method for cold and snowy rooftops. Finally, there is no provision to provide weatherproofing for the many joints between sections. U.S. Pat. No. 6,448,497 to McCracken (hereinafter McCracken) improves on this design by having the individual cable channels extend sufficiently far so they serve to support the lid. Fitting uncooperative cables into defined channels is problematic and unrealistic. Similar to Post, the system of McCracken involves a “fiddly” job to restrain each cable and force it into its respective channel, and then clamp it down every few feet. And again, there is the matter of having to match the number of cables in an installation to the number provided in the apparatus. The requirement of numerous slots as in McCracken causes increased manufacturing and tooling costs. The use of too few renders McCracken's system unusable. Similar to Post, the system of McCracken is secured with screws with all the attendant disadvantages previously disclosed.
All of the prior art relies on tools to fasten, assemble and hold down the raceways or conduits. Tools and screws are an unwelcome necessity as they can and do damage the very cables that the raceway or trough it is designed to protect. None of the prior art provides a way to carry out these actions without or with minimal number of fasteners, e.g., screws.